Dale Jr. intends to return in 2017

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Sunday he is proceeding with the expectation that he will return to the Sprint Cup Series next February at Daytona International Speedway.

"My intentions are to race and that's the plan we have going forward," Earnhardt said Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in an appearance for Goody's, the sponsor of Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

"We're booking things (for next season) per normal and per usual. We're doing all our photo shoots and everything with the anticipation of our sponsors marketing me as the driver of the No. 88 car. I think that's perfectly on track and a reasonable goal to be in the car and competing in Daytona."

"We can't sort of sit and wait. We have to make a decision. Those type of things have to be decided quite early," Earnhardt said of sponsor commitments. "We're moving forward with the plan to compete in the car and I don't see anything that says that's not going to happen.

"Things are good."